Starting a Community Radio Station

1
Starting a Community Radio Station

• How to develop a creative and productive working
  environment.
• Prepared by Kai Aiyetoro, LPFM Director
• National Federation of Community Broadcasters

2
Board of Directors

• President or Chair
• Vice President or Vice Chair
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Additional Members

The purpose of the board is to adopt policies,
hires station manager and raise funds.
3
Strategic Planning Policy Making

• Develop Bylaws
• Define the roles of board members
• Develop organizational chart
• Hiring Practices/Salaries
• Job descriptions
• Conflict resolution

• Define the roles of the Advisory Board
• Station guidelines
• Update Strategic Plan Periodically
• Define the Mission Statement
• Board/Staff Relationship
• Personnel Policies

4
Community Advisory Board

• Solicited group from the Community that is not
  involved with the station operations.
• Does not have operational or programming control
  over station.
• Purpose is to advise on the communication needs
  of the community.

5
Job Descriptions

• Station Manager or General Manager?
• Program Director?
• Music Director?
• News/Public Affairs Director?
• Operations Director?
• Chief Operator Good Engineering Practices
  require designating and posting!
• Development Director?
• Business Manager?
• Volunteer Coordinator?
• Volunteers?

6
Sample Organizational Chart
7
Station Manager

• Responsible for overall operations of the
  station.
• Development of station structure.
• Responsible for station maintaining all FCC rules
  and regulations.

8
Rules and Regs

• Post all FCC required documents
• State Employment Regulations
• Station Guidelines (on-air/operations)
• Personnel (paid staff/volunteers)
• Underwriting policies
• Grievance Procedures

9
Financial Responsibilities

• Board Treasurer?
• Volunteer with bookkeeping experience?
• Hired bookkeeper or business manager?
• CPA contracted to oversee finances?

10
Accounting Setup
It would be to your advantage to contract a
Certified Public Accountant (CPA) to set up your
books for future audit purposes.

• Computerized
• QuickBooks
• Peachtree
• MIP

• Manual
• General Journal
• Ledgers
• Spreadsheets

11
Annual Audit

• Good for grant applications
• Good for annual reports
• Good but not mandatory

12
Operations

• Chief Operator Posted
• Develop operations procedures
• Develop program staff schedule
• Facility maintenance and archive logs
• Assure FCC rules regs are followed
• Volunteer management

13
Sample Schedule
14
FCC ruling73.850 Operating schedule.
...LPFM is required to operate at least 36
hours per week consisting of at least 5 hours of
operation per day on at least 6 days of the
week...
Applicants that pledge to operate at least 12
hours per day are awarded one point should their
application become MX with another applicant.
15
If the FCC comes to visit...

• Administrative and Non-Technical
• Antenna Structures
• Emergency Alert System (EAS)
• Technical
• Attended vs. Unattended Operation
• Local Management Agreements (LMA)
• FCC LPFM Self-Inspection Checklist at
• http//www.fcc.gov/eb/bc-chklsts/EB18LPFM082902.pd
  f

16
Development and Promotion

• How will the community identify with the station?
• What does the station look like?
• How will you gain the support of the community?
• How and will you approach major donors?
• Will you compete for grants?
• Will you have station events?

17
Station Image

• Station logo?
• Station mascot?
• Station slogan?
• Station colors?
• Station motto?
• Station ID?
• Stations promotional package

18
Funding Opportunities

• Nonprofit Resource Centers
• Black United Funds and Shares Groups
• State and Local Arts Council
• Corporation for Public Broadcasting
• Public Telecommunications Facilities Program
  (PTFP)
• Marathons
• Special Events
• Underwriting

19
Keeping the volunteers happy!

• Who will recruit volunteers?
• Who will orient and train volunteers?
• Who will post their duties?
• How will volunteers be recognized for service?
• Who will determine readiness of volunteer
  production skills?
• How will volunteers acquire a program slot?

20
The station working as a whole!

• Guidelines are established
• Understanding the rules
• Abiding by the rules
• Consequences
• Support